CarolynPritchard

The Melville, N.Y.-based company said it now expects 2004 earnings ranging from $3.01 to $3.07 a share, compared with the forecast of $3.55 to $3.61 a share issued on Aug. 27.

Analysts are looking for a profit of $3.53 a share for the period, according to Thomson First Call.

For the third quarter, Henry Schein
HSIC, +1.04%
said it expects earnings of 69 cents to 71 cents a share, and for the fourth quarter, the firm forecast a per-share profit of 83 cents to 87 cents a share.

Wall Street is forecasting earnings of $1.02 a share for both the third-quarter and fourth-quarter periods.

The company said the forecast revision was solely attributable to Chiron's
CHIR
announcement early Tuesday that it will not be able to release any of its Fluvirin vaccine because the British government has suspended the manufacturing license at its Liverpool plant for at least three months. See full story.

Shares of Henry Schein were halted in mid-morning trade on the Nasdaq Tuesday and remained halted after the closing bell.

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